Anfield before Liverpool vs Manchester United
Last season’s Premier League game between Liverpool vs Manchester United at Anfield finished as a 2-2 draw
3:03PM
De Ligt is discussing coming into his prime at 26, how United are improving even if “data doesn’t count...”, his belief they can fight for a Champions League place this season, the debate over that formation and how he and Ruben Amorim are “direct” with each other.
Indeed, there is much to talk about and a lot of ground to cover as De Ligt sits down at the club’s training ground for what is his first major interview since he joined United in August 2024 from Bayern Munich for a fee of up to £42.8m.
2:56PM
Had Liverpool vs Manchester United been played a month ago the reigning Premier League champions would have been expected to dispatch Ruben Amorim’s team with the minimum fuss.
Instead, after the three consecutive defeats which preceded the international break, Liverpool have some questions to answer and now trail league leaders Arsenal by four points.
The most important of those questions is how Arne Slot balances the lavish attacking talent at his disposal with a need for greater defensive stability. Does he revert to last season’s midfield trio at the expense of Florian Wirtz? Does he have a truly convincing pair of full-backs? Can Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah thrive in the same team?
United should be encouraged by their performance in a 2-2 draw in this fixture last season, in which they played probably the best football of Amorim’s tenure. Kobbie Mainoo was progressive in midfield that day, with Bruno Fernandes starting as the “left 10” in Amorim’s system. This season though, Mainoo has struggled for starts with Fernandes operating deeper. Will Amorim look to reprise last season’s formula?
Liverpool remain without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson but it looks like Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch are fit to start after injury scares during the international break. With the exception of Lisandro Martinez, United have a clean bill of health so there is the option of starting summer signings Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha together in the front three. There is certainly enough running power and talent there to cause Liverpool problems. Much will depend on how United’s midfield pair copes; it was too easy for City to manipulate and out-number them in their last big game at the Etihad.
It has been almost a decade since United’s last league win at Anfield, when Wayne Rooney scored the game’s only goal.
Full team news on the way shortly.